My Puppetmaster
by DJ BLEACH
Summary: A vicious attack on her daughter, and Vanilla snaps. She becomes what she loathes most to seek out revenge on who ever was responsible. But we both wonder...is it really worth it? Sequel to Darkest After Dusk.
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, putting up Perfect Darkkness first was a bad idea. I will be putting that on hold to work on this. Main characters of this part are Vanilla, G.U.N. Commander, Rouge, and most likely Shadow. Please enjoy.**

**Prolouge**

**My Critical Promise**

Stories end, but parts left unexplained must be branched out, and told not unlike the same epic from which it originated. Charaters from the tale are revisioned, their own stories told, revealing truths not present in the tale before. This is one of those cases. Attacked by a beast, mind poisoned by fury, and a dark puppetmaster controlling the strings. This is the tale of a woman driven by anger to become what she loathes most, a mindless drone of the military...

This...is Vanilla's story...

"Why...Why?" her words echoed themselves in her mind. Each time the one word question was uttered, her mind would break a little bit more. For days she remained sitting on that chair by her daughter's bedside. She takes her daughter's hand and promises everything will be okay when she wakes up. When she _does _wake up is uncertain. Vanilla hopes it is soon.

The rabbit wiped the tears from her eyes and discarded the tissue into the basket beside her. It was not the first however. The decrotive basket was filled to the brim with signs of her despair, every little scrap of paper a terrifying reminder of that tragic event. Vanilla does not wish to look back on it, the pain is unbarable.

But she must anyway.

It was late into the night, a full moon illuminating the sky with heatless light, much like the millions of stars surrounding it. This elegant woman and her daughter left their abode just to take in the sight, breathe in the fresh air entraped in an October chill that leaves their breath hanging in the air. That very chill was what Vanilla feared most. A simple cold caught by her daughter would be the worst of her troubles. Oh yes, it would be enough. Vanilla was a woman completely dedicated to the needs of her child, and having her sick in bed would not be good for either of them. That kind of dedication is admirable. Well, I think so at least.

They decided to take the long path home, so they could take in a bit more of the beauty that caught their attention the moment they stepped out into the open. Vanilla walked slowly so her daughter could toddle along, occasionally stopping to sniff near-by flowers. Vanilla could only smile every time she saw it.

"It's so pretty out here, Mama." her little girl chirped in her normal, always-sweet tone. She walked carefully with her pet in her arms. The blue boddied creature snuggled it's owner's hands like a blanket as it drew in the sights with her.

Vanilla smiled, "That's why we came here Cream. It's why we always come here." she replied in her calm, gentle tone of voice, grabbing her daughter's hand and increasing speed a bit, "But we must hurry before it gets too late. Little girls need their sleep."

The younger bunny pouted, "But it's so pretty out here! Me and Cheese wanna find more flowers!"

It was that one thought that started a terrifying chain reaction...

Cream released her mother's hand and sped off into the deeper part of the woods, laughing her little head off in joy the entire way. Vanilla gasped, "Cream wait!" she called out, attempting to give chase. It was a futile effort though. The weight of her dress and the lack of balance from her shoes slowed her down sigifigantly. It wasn't long before she had lost Cream to the forest completely...

----------------------

Panting and heavy gasps for oxygen cut through the air. The eldest rabbit tried desperately to draw air into her lungs, as this wild goose chase, or wild _rabbit _chase, had left her exhausted, "Oh my gosh...this is terrible...I can't keep up with her..."

Wiping the sweat from her brow, she looked ahead, scanning the path she would need to take to resume her chase. Luck was against her, as all there was between her and the next part of the forest, was a lake. A large lake, "A lake? Huh, I never knew this was here." she mumbled to herself, edging closer too it, "I could use some water..." Vanilla crept ever so carefully to the water's edge, practically dreaming about the cool liquid sending wet satisfaction down her throat.

But then, something caught her interest. A wolf could be seen at the edge, it's tail wagging slowly. She moved closer, "Hey, what are you doing out here?".

The wolf turned a one-eighty, it's white hair flying back. The scarlet gleam of it's eyes took Vanilla by suprise, a haunting glow about them. The wolf turned away, "If I wanted your opinion, I would've asked." she murmmured, trying not to look soft.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I just always suspected a place like this to be dangerous at night."

"I can take care of myself." there was a long silence before the wolf turned back to see if she was still there. When she saw that she was, she muttered, "You can sit down of you want. I don't bite." though it was pretty much a lie. Vanilla took up the offer, and got to her knees, quickly folding them to the side, as not to get her dress dirty.

"Again, I'm sorry for inturrupting, but seeing a child out here by themselves just worries me. I guess I'm a little too motherly."

-----------------------------

Their conversation was short, cut off by Vanilla's sudden memory of why she was at the lake in the first place, "Well, not that it hasn't been fun, but I should really get going." the wolf tried her best at subtlety, with the reason for her leave being that she needed another soul to strike down, lest this rabbit become her dinner. The woman picked herself up, the wolf threw her hands behind her head, "Maybe I'll see you around? What's your name? I'm Dusk."

"Vanilla. And I would love for us to meet again." The two quickly exchanged a handshake before Dusk turned away from the sea to run back home, but was stopped by Vanillia's voice again, "Oh, I completely forgot why I came out here in the first place.", she turned to Dusk, "I hate to trouble you, but have you seen a little girl out here? Short, looks like me, orange dress, usually has a chao with her?"

Dusk didn't even know what a chao was, let alone what girl would own one, "Sorry, doesn't ring a bell. Why?"

"She's my daughter. She must've wandered off, I haven't seen her for a while, and I'm very worried." Vanilla put a hand to her chin and looked at the ground in worry.

"Well, I'll be sure to keep a look out. Good luck finding her." Dusk then waved goodbye as she sped off at top speed, leaving Vanilla in the dust.

The rabbit put a paw to her chin, "Oh my, I spent all that time talking to her...Cream could be anywhere by now. I've got to find her!" with that, she ran off again.

Unbeknownst to her, she _would _find Cream...but she would wish she hadn't...

---------------------------------

"Cream? Cream! Are you out here?!"

Vanilla's call seemed to echo endlessly within the walls of the forest. It was near impossible to even tell where she was anymore, "Oh...I can't do this all night..." she thought about the situation for a moment, "Maybe I should let the authorities handle--huh?"

A familar body caught her attention. It sat on it's knees, shivering violently, "...Dusk?" she moved closer. It was indeed that same wolf, "Dusk? You're still here? I thought you said--" Vanilla froze...

Another body rested below Dusk's. This too was famillar...all too familiar. There Cream lay, bleeding and unconcious. Sparing no hesitation, Vanilla threw herself to her daughter's side, grabbing her shoulders and desperately trying to shake her back to conciousness, "Cream! Cream! Wake up! What happened?!" Dusk still remained in her stone-like, unmoving pose. Vanilla scanned her daughter's body, trying to scope out where she might've been hurt. She gasped as she found the two, bleeding holes in her neck, "What the...?", Vanilla turned to Dusk. Both went wide-eyed when she noticed Dusk's bleeding fangs. Dusk threw her paws to her mouth in an instant.

"Y-you...?" Vanilla stammered with teary eyes.

Apologizing barely above a whisper, the wolf ran off, leaving the scarred woman alone...

---------------------

The next few days had rattled Vanilla to her core. Each day passed sent the woman a rung farther down on the ladder of insanity. Everytime she passed by her daughter's bedroom, seeing her unconciouss body lay unmoving and silent in her bed, things only began to felt worse. What was worst of all? The poor woman felt there was nothing she could do. Her daughter's attacker had fled, may have been in jail already. How on earth could she find her and get justice...

The next thought that came to mind sickened her...

That night, she sat at her desk, scanning over discarded newspapers and old photos taken a long time ago. All of them were centered on one subject, one that Vanilla would never forget for as long as she lived.

Cream's father.

Whenever his name came to mind, one would picture the very symbol of bravery and heroism. His efforts at G.U.N. were well-remembered, even years after his death. He was a top soldier, finishing even the most dangerous jobs with expert skill and cunning. He almost never made mistakes. _Almost. _But it was one mistake that took him.

A single bullet from a target practice misfire was all it took. Incompetent soldiers under his training had been too stupid to actually look at where they were firing. He wasn't wearing protection at the time, and it wasn't long before he was dead.

Vanilla was shattered, not knowing how she would explain his fate to their newborn daughter when she was older. Cream still hadn't asked about it, but it still haunted Vanilla, regardless if she was reminded of it or not.

From that day, Vanilla promised herself she would never have anything to do with G.U.N. or it's soldiers. But the rabbit never would have guessed that it would be her last resort. With a tear falling down her face, she silently whispered, "I'm sorry..." and put the picture back in the desk. After giving her still unmoving daughter a kiss on the forehead, she set off for G.U.N. HQ.

-------------------

Weeks passed...

**BANG!**

"My word Officer Vanilla, you're a natural!"

Cheers and applause filled the room, praising the rabbit's perfect accuracy with her handgun. She blew off the smoke and stuffed it back into the pocket on her hip. Along with that gun, came a change of clothes as well. Her application to G.U.N. had ripped her from her old-world dress, and had put her in a standard G.U.N. uniform, complete with gloves, boots, and chest armor. Her ears now remained tied back behind her head, so the would not get in the way during her missons.

A gruff voice arose from the edge of the room, "Excellent work Officer Vanilla, your accuracy is second-to-none."

"Thank you sir." Vanilla said with a salute to her commander.

"At ease soldier, I come with good news!" the man smiled, "Attention!" each soldier, including Vanilla, stood to attention, "We have recieved local reports of our latest capture! The serial murderer 'Dusk Alucard' has been arrested, and is currently in solitary confinement!"

All the soldiers gave a mighty cheer, one of their worst cases yet finally over. Vanilla simply froze. While she appeared shocked, inside, she couldn't be happier. An evil grin spred across her face, _"Finally! I can have my time with that girl. I won't let her get away from harming my little girl. I'll make sure she pays..."_ She then walked up to the commander, "Sir! In light of this capture, I request permission to speak with the captive."

The Commander shook his head sadly, "My appologies Officer Vanilla, but she is being confined until further notice. You may get a chance to speak with her later, but until we can keep her contained, for our soldiers' safety, she is being kept away from any contact whatsoever."

Vanilla felt a sense of defeat at these words. She had been denied her chance...for now at least. Looking back up, she said, "I understand sir." with one final salute, she exited...

Back at home, she threw off her uniform and threw herself onto her bed, a paw on her forehead, "What am I doing...?"

The rabbit stared up at the cieling, feeling as empty as it was, "Is this really a good idea...I promised myself I would never become a part of the military after what happened to him..." she sniffled a bit and turned over, facing another picture on the desk next to her bed.

It was a picture from a long time ago. Vanilla stood with her husband by her side and a newborn Cream in her arms. Each of them looked happy, it had been a joyus day at the park. Vanilla's eyes were locked onto the image of her husband. Thousands of images and memories flooded her mind, bringing back the pain of his depature from this world. She remembered hearing the news from a single soldier at her doorstept, she remembered breaking down crying, she remembered too much...

Vanilla buried her face into her paws and sobbed...

It took her a few minutes to regain her composure. After wiping the tears off her cheeks, she looked at the picture again. This time she focused on her daughter...

Seeing the innocent face of Cream in the picture made her realize something. If she wanted answers, she would _have _to do this. She would become what she regretted most...

A puppet of the military, that pompus old man acting as her puppet master...

Vanilla grabbed her gun once more, _"I'm doing this for you Cream. I can't go on not knowing what has happened to you. I'm getting some answers, even if I have to break the very laws I swore to uphold..."_

She looked at the picture once more, gazing upon the green rabbit beside her, _"I'm sorry Mint...I never thought it would come to this...please forgive me..."_

Her thoughts complete, Vanilla headed for the prison...

_end prolouge._


	2. ACT I, Scene I

**Warning:I'm not calling anyone stupid, but just incase you missed it in the summary, this story is the sequel to my fic 'Darkest After Dusk'. **

**And, OC haters, general dislikers, or even likers, she is going to be a very much smaller part of the story this time around. This focuses mostly on Vanilla and Rouge.**

**Act I, Scene I**

**Listen Up**

Time and time again I awake and draw the blinds open. Heavy sunlight floods the room, much to the annoyance of the hedgehog in the bed behind me, "Close the curtain!" he jeers, turning over and disappearing in a swaddle of sheet and blanket. All I do is giggle at that, before hopping over to the closet.

"Sorry Shadow, " I began, throwing on a random shirt, ", but you knew we would be getting up early today. You shouldn't have stayed up all night watching softcore porn on HBO."

The black hedgie immediately sprang up, "That's _not _what I was doing!!!" he roared, seething with anger. I just laughed again as I threw on some jeans.

"Calm down. You're so uptight." I said, masking the pity in my voice as I turned to the mirror, "I know it's strange that the Commander would actually be throwing the soldiers a party, but it would be rude not to go."

Throwing his legs over the side, Shadow muttered, "What's rude is making us get up at the ass crack of dawn just for some stupid party." the hedgehog stood and snapped all his joints back into place before heading over to the closet, "Can't he just give us some fake medals or something? When I'm on vacation, I usually like to stew in my bed for a few hours before getting up completely." he groaned, grabbing a most likely not-clean tee-shirt.

I giggled again, "Yes, sleeping in is fun, but you know what that one guy said, 'early to bed, early to rise, makes a man more eligible for a promotion!'"

"That's not what he said." Shadow grumbled.

"Well, going to this party will do just that, so like it or not, you're going!" I said sternly, grabbing a brush and running it through my hair, "Our Commander is throwing us a party in celebration of all our hard work!"

Shadow scoffed, "Oh please. The only reason he's even throwing this party is because you helped in a fake capture."

The memories came flooding back, "Yes, it seems unethical that this is all for something that's not even real, but if we don't want to get caught, we'll just have to play along." I sighed, putting the brush down and buttoning the last button on my shirt.

"Easy for you to say, " Shadow grumbled, ", when you're getting up this early while that little wolf just keeps herself glued to our couch." Even in light of something good that has happened, Shadow remains as stotic as ever.

What he said was no lie however. Though she might not always be on our couch, it's safe to say that Dusk has pretty much taken up residence at our humble abode. Shadow didn't take that too lightly, feeling that the wolf was freeloading. My opinion differed. She worked off her stay, willing to do anything we told her. If we told her to clean the apartment, it would be spotless within the hour. I enjoyed that. A lot.

I spied said wolf asleep on the couch as we headed for the door, "She's got our number if anything goes wrong."

As we walked out, Shadow mumbled again, "If someone discovers she's here, we're both screwed, you know that don't you?"

I laughed, "Oh, Shadow, that's what makes it exciting!" and shut the door...

-------------------------------------------

It was a short drive to G.U.N. HQ, and a silent one as well. I didn't really have too much to say, and Shadow was already back asleep by the time I pulled out of the parking lot. I shook him awake once we arrived, "C'mon, it's just for a few hours. You can pass out as soon as we get back home."

Shadow got out and shut his door, "You'd better be able to keep that promise..." We headed inside.

An overly cheerful voice greeted us before we were even five feet inside, "Rouge! Shadow! You made it!" a brown haired woman came running up to us, donned in her uniform and badge, "I'm suprised you two are actually here this early. The party doesn't start until noon."

I could practically feel the heat from Shadow's anger from behind me, to which I laughed a bit to myself, "Well, we thought we could help set everything up. Every thing needs to be perfect!"

Topaz pulled us into the mess hall, "Oh, don't you two worry about that. Everything's set up and ready." the room was littered with decorations and party supplies, "Seems Commander really went all out. That must've been one hell of a capture Rouge." I slowly nodded as I took notice of the banner that read, '**CONGRADULATIONS OFFICER ROUGE'**, showcasing praise for my _capture _of Dusk. I couldn't help but smile at that.

"Seems a bit much for one criminal, don't ya think?" I asked, waltzing in to check out more of the colorful decorations.

Topaz laughed and put a hand on my shoulder, "Don't be so modest Rouge. You aided in the capture of one of our most wanted murderers, you should be proud of yourself!" we were both silent for a while, before Topaz flashed a sad smile, "Vanilla did a lot of this for you. She's really greatful that you got that wolf...well...killed. She deserved it for hurting her daughter."

I didn't feel too well at that point, remembering how Dusk had attacked Cream, "Y-yeah...How is she doing by the way? I haven't seen her in a while..."

The woman sighed and sat down, "It's hard to say for sure. She's been feeling a bit better lately, but something tells me she isn't completely over this just yet. I hear that Cream is still in that coma." Topaz's tone was noticably weighed down with grief over the rabbits, "The docters said she would be alright, but they had no idea when she'll wake up...if she does..."

After another brief silence, she stood, "But, this day is about _you _Rouge!" she cheered, immediately switching attitudes, "So cheer up! We've got a party to...party to!"

The woman's incurable optimism began to infect me. It wasn't long before I did the exact same turn around, leaping out of my seat and throwing a fist into the air. I grabbed the woman's hands, and we bounced happily, all while cheering, "Yeah! Let's party!!!"

The room was silent for a while, before Shadow said from the corner, "...you two look like fools."

...Couldn't really blame him for that one...

---------------------------------

The party was rather un-eventful. As happy as I was everyone wished to celebrate my efforts, I wasn't much for parties. Half the soldiers were either drunk or dancing like idiots. It just wasn't my scene, so I just stayed back over at the drink table. I'm suprised our Commander even let beer into the party, and I'm even more suprised that Topaz was still level-headed, "Some party, eh?" she asked me.

I could practically taste the sarcasm dripping from her voice, "Not by my standards, hm hm hm." I poured some coke into my glass, "What's Vanilla doing?"

One glace at the rabbit was enough to tell me. Vanilla was at the table, a few empty cups surrounding her. The glazed, drunken look in her eyes was striking. Depression loomed arounder like thick smog. With a hateful groan, she guzzled down another cup, "She hasn't been feeling too well lately." Topaz turned to me, "I heard that she never got to speak with her daughter's attacker. Apparently, that wolf escaped and killed herself before we could capture her again. Vanilla had hoped she could confront her, but now that she can't, she's been feeling pretty depressed."

I reminicesed the entire situation Topaz mentioned, bringing up memories of when I helped Dusk escape. After seeing Vanilla like this, I would've gladly let the two talk to each other, but I was worried Vanilla would rip her heart out, "I've never seen her like this. Of all people, I never guessed _Vanilla _would resort to drinking. I thought she would be smarter than that..."

The woman placed a hand on my shoulder, "You should go talk to her, maybe you can cheer her up?" I nodded at her and carefully made my way over to said rabbit.

I was terrified at the way she looked at me. Her eyes were so full of hatred and rage towards nothing, staring straight through me. I could practically feel heat radiating off of her as I sat down, "Um...h-hi Vanilla...enjoying the party?" I asked, a bit hesitant.

Another draw on her beverage was the only response I got.

A sigh escaped my lips, "Vanilla, I know you won't get to talk to Dusk, but think about it..." I took her hand and forced a smile, "If you had, it wouldn't have helped Cream. Plus, if she's dead, that means she won't hurt anyone else. I thought you would be happy about that?" Rudely scoffing, she turned away, keeping her head hung low.

"Bet you wouldn't think that if your Shadow was hurt..." she quickly snapped back, with enough silent hate to make me gasp. Another sigh, and I walked around to her side.

"Vanilla...you seem to be forgetting that Cream _isn't dead._"

This one statement set her off like a match next to a gas tank, "She might as well be!!!" Vanilla roared, slamming the table with her fist before breaking down sobbing. Shocked by her reaction, I crept back a bit, "I can't take this _again! _Having Mint die was already too much! I can't lose Cream too!" I'd never seen the woman so broken. Every time I faced her, although that wasn't much, she always seemed happy, even in the most horrendous situations. It seemed as though Cream was her drive, and now that she had lost that, she was a shattered soul of a woman. This whole ordeal was her doom. Having your daughter attacked by a smooth criminal...

It's just enough to break a girl...

------------

Vanilla needed an escape from the party, if she was to calm down. I led her outside to a nearby bench, where her sobs slowed to mournful whimpers. I threw arm around her, "I know what you're going through is hard, but I know, that Cream will wake up someday, and someday soon." she looked up at me, tears still streaming down her cheeks, "And you had better be by her bedside, smiling, not like this."

The rabbit couldn't help but smile at that, "...Yes...And when she does, I'll quit this Chaos-Forsaken military job of mine..."

Those words struck me like an assasin's dagger, "V-Vanilla..." I stammered, "This is the _Military..._you--you can't _leave!_"

Vanilla sighed disdainfully, "I should've known you'd feel that way." the woman stood, and glared at me with as much hate as she had before, "Rouge, the military is the entire reason I've had to raise Cream myself for the past six years. All those untrained idiots took him before his time." her fist shook as she turned away from me again, "You know I only took this job so I could find out what happened to Cream. That's already done. I'm just waiting for the day she wakes up, so I can forget this awful place and go back to being her mother...I don't care if all I can do is pack up my things and run. We'll find another place."

This sudden change began to worry me a bit, "Vanilla, that's desertion! They'll hunt you down and throw you in prison! What will happen to Cream _then, _huh?" I paused, trying to calm myself, "Besides, the Commander himself has given you status as one of our best soldiers! Your cedentials are almost as good as mine! You can't just throw that all away, can you?"

"I don't care what you say Rouge!" she retorted, "I can't stand this place a minute longer. Every day I put on this act just to please that big-wig commander. Where has that gotten me? A branding as one of the military's attack dogs, ready to be ripped from her home called into battle at a moment's notice!"

"Vanilla..." I said softly, "You're over-reacting..."

She scoffed at me and turned her nose up, "You know that whole mess with Shadow and the Black Arms? What about that, huh? An example of everything I'm trying to say to you!"

I was puzzled, "What do you mean?"

"I'm talking about having to hunt down people the military tells you are bad!" she hissed, throwing words at me like they were here weapons, "They jumped to conclusions and tried to have him killed for no good reason! Then, what does he do? He saves the planet, and we're just supposed to pretend everything is okay?!"

I had nothing more to say. Vanilla's words were the truth. The hard, bitter, terribly cold truth, "Vanilla..."

She stormed off, "Think about it Rouge...someday...you'll wake up realizing the horrors you've contributed to...lord knows I have..."

---------------

My walk home was long and rather uncomfortable. Vanilla's words buzzed around my mind at a million miles a second, and I would most likely end up repeating them to Shadow once I got home. He had left to, 'go get some pretzels' and never came back. Right now, I almost wish I had done the same. At least I would still have my pride.

A faint click granted me enterance to my home, to which I was greeted by a suprisingly cheerful Dusk, "Welcome home !"

I had explained this to her a million times before, "Dusk, no need to be so formal."

"Yes m'am!" she saluted, to which I rolled my eyes and smiled. It seems the little wolf has had a major change in her out look on life. Dusk has become quite the optimist since she's been at my apartment, "Did you have fun at that party that the selfish hedgie Shadow left?"

I laughed again as I threw myself onto the couch, "Oh, it was alright. Some of the soldiers got drunk, so that was pretty funny. I guess the day went pretty well."

Dusk looked as if she couldn't contain herself, "Well, it's about go get even better!" I raised one brow, "In honor if your efforts, I'm making dinner for you guys tonight!"

Before I could say another word, she sped off into the kitchen, leaving Shadow to make his way in. He looked at me disapprovingly, "You know better than to lie Rouge, what really happened? I saw you talking to Vanilla." he said, sitting down beside me.

I released another sigh, "She's broken Shadow...It's not the Vanilla I know. Nearly losing Cream has struck her at the core. She couldn't even force a smile when she saw me..." I thought long and hard about what she had said to me, trying to decide weather I should've told him or not...

I did.

"We should quit." I uttered under my breath.

Shadow seemed a bit startled, "What was that?"

My eyes were firmly locked on the ground, "Vanilla...she told me some very convincing things. I've never really thought too much about it before. I only joined G.U.N. for the money, but...now that I think about it...G.U.N. has really done some terrible things...things that _we've _been a part of."

The ebony hedgehog scoffed and folded his arms, "You're over-reacting."

"That's what I said." I instantly came back with, getting to my feet, "We don't even _think _about what we're doing in our cases! We just blindly follow whatever the higher ups tell us to do! We're like their attack dogs!"

Shadow looked at me furiously, "Rouge! You are making no sense!" he roared, "What are you talking about, 'blindlly following whatever we're told'?! If you had done that, Dusk wouldn't even be in our house right now! You're letting what Vanilla said get to you!"

"Shadow! I am--"

A single voice broke the eruption of words spewing from us, "Dinner's ready!" Dusk called cheerfully from the kitchen.

Shadow and I exchanged glances, silently telling ourselves we would finish this argument later. With that, we headed into the kitchen, and ate dinner without another word...

_end chapter one._


	3. ACT I, Scene II

**Well, I've abandoned wordpad and have began writing with Microsoft Works Word Processor! Hoorah! Parts from "Smooth Criminal" by Alien Ant Farm used in this chapter.**

**Act I, Scene II**

**Mother**

_One more kill...one more was all it would take, and all of the trio would be dead..._

_Mint and Cream were easy enough...Now I can concentrate on you Vanilla..._

"N-no! Stay back!" Vanilla began running...

_As she came into the window_

_Was a sound of a crescendo..._

_She came into her apartment_

_She left the bloodstains on the carpet..._

Maniacal laughter rang in the rabbit's ears. Her feet hurried endlessly forward in an effort to escape the gaining beast. Yet it seemed no matter how fast she moved, it always seemed to move faster, "Leave me alone!" she called out behind her, gasping once again at the whites of the beasts fangs. The insanity she saw entrapped within the red glow of it's eyes only sent more chills down her spine.

_She was sitting at the table_

_She could see she was unable_

_So she ran into the bedroom_

_She was struck downIt was her doom!_

Something on the ground clipped her foot. It may or may not have really been there or even existed, perhaps she just tripped on air. But whatever it was, Vanilla fell, and that was _not _good. She turned back to see the beast coming closer, drool glistening and dripping from it's mouth, signifying hunger. This was truly the end wasn't it? Fodder for some ghastly monster that took her husband and her child. Too scared to move or fight back, Vanilla just closed her eyes and waited...

_Vanilla, are you OK?_

_Are you OK?_

_Are you OK, Vanilla?!_

_Vanilla, are you OK?_

_You OK?_

_A__re you OK, Vanilla?!_

In three...

_You've been hit by..._

Two...

_You've been struck by..._

One...

_A smooth criminal..._

_**CHOMP!**_

----------------------------------------

Inside such an enclosed space, her scream's echo would take a moment to dissipate, such was the case , it was still ringing in her ears. In that same moment, realization kicked in, she was back in reality. For a minute or so, that was a good thing, until she remembered just how bad reality was. The pair of visitors that presented themselves to her every night appeared once more. Depression, fear. Vanilla chucked the blankets off of her with all her might, before making a mad dash to a room where everything remained quiet. Upon seeing Cream still safe in her bed, she released an enormous sigh and fell onto her backside, "Oh God….."

The woman tried to speak to herself in an effort to calm down, but any word she formed in her mind was vocalized in an unintelligible manor. All these nightmares made it impossible for the woman to even think clearly.

Vanilla sighed out loud, "Why does this keep happening? The wolf is dead, Cream isn't…"

All these thoughts became warped, too confusing to handle. This distraught rabbit staggered down her hallways, only to trip and fall onto her bed again, _"If Cream was awake, I'd know what to do…_"

Even time passed as she laid there, thought after thought whipping around in her brain. Her paw soon found her badge, "…badge…" she held it in front of her eyes. The little light in the room gleamed off of it, making sure Vanilla saw it in it's full glory, "The Guardian Units of Nations…sworn to uphold and protect the laws of this country at any price…_any price…_" Vanilla ran her fingers off the cold, chilling metals of the words that formed the same sentence she formed in her head, "Any price? Your husband…your daughter…your own _life…_" she instantly felt a surge of pain wash over her enough to make her drop the badge, it fell to the floor with a silent thud. She rolled onto her side, "This was a terrible idea…" she sniffled, feeling the pain all over again, "I broke a promise to myself…to Mint and Cream…"

Guilt suddenly forced itself upon her, she cringed at it, hissed, barked at it to go away, but nothing she did worked. It just kept cutting away at her like a white-hot hatchet wedging itself deeper and deeper into her skin. Only moments past before she was at her daughter's bedside once more, furiously shaking the smaller rabbit's body. Her words came out in begging roars, "Cream! Cream! Please, for the love of God wake up! I can't take this anymore!!!"

Tears streamed down the woman's face as she spied no movement from her daughter. Vanilla had finally cracked. She buried her face into her daughter's chest, unleashing a torrent of sobs that no amount of sheer will could hold back, "Please Cream…" she whimpered, red in the face and nearly blinded by the water in her eyes, "I can't go on knowing you're not okay…I can't live another day without you…"

She took her daughter's hand, closed her eyes, and prayed, "Please…I beg of you…wake up…"

It wasn't long before the woman had cried herself to sleep…

----------------

Once again, the curtains were drawn back, Shadow groaned and flipped over, I scoffed again, "Another day, another death wish." he mumbled, "_Must _you wake me on vacation?"

Something was off about the ebony hedgehog today, "Jeez Shadow, you're even more angsty than usual, what's up?"

"Not me." he retorted, disappearing into the blankets again, "Not ever again."

I sighed out loud, "Men." I returned my attention to the still-rising sun. Seeing the mixtures of red and orange was a beautiful sight to wake up too, even if my grumpy lover didn't think similar thoughts,

, and yet, something still plagued me. Vanilla's words. They stuck into me like knives, each one ripping away at me without end. Most of her words were true, and I wasn't one to deny them.

I sighed again, "I need a drink…" un-gracefully waltzing into the kitchen, I snapped my fingers to gain the already-awake Dusk's attention, "Wolf, you're cooking breakfast." I ordered, rather harshly.

Dusk's ears twittered, "Uh, y-yes Rouge." she replied, somewhat stunned by my words as she headed for the stove.

The hard wood of the kitchen chair didn't help my mood, but I really didn't care at the time. Her speech still bit at me. I sat with my chin in my hand, _"Dammit Vanilla, now you've got me obsessing over this…"_

Maybe I screwed up when I offered to be nice to her. Maybe I screwed up by actually letting her join the force. All I know is,

, I made a big mistake yesterday…and I can already tell it's going to drive us apart…

---------------

Sunrise loomed over the horizon. Blue fading into orange and sending sunlight flooding in through Vanilla's windows. A strong beam of light shot her in the eye, letting a few, uncomfortable moans come from the woman before she finally opened her eyes and stood back up. Recollection of the previous night's events was difficult, and painful to go back to, only made worse by the sight of her still unconscious daughter laying still, unmoving.

The rabbit sighed, "Guess I'll get ready for work…"

A closet containing nothing but two items, and the black suit caught Vanilla's attention. She grabbed it off the rack and thumbed through it in her paws, "…even if she _did _wake up…it wouldn't make a difference…now that I work for G.U.N…." another sigh, another disappointment. She slammed the closet door and proceeded to undress.

A familiar face caught her attention, her own. Vanilla gazed into the reflective glass, examining the deadpan, machinelike woman in front of her. She poked at the grey rings under her eyes, darkening every night from lack of sleep and stress. Dull greyness replaced the deep brown eyes she once had, showing heavy loss of spirit and life. Vanilla already had enough problems, and now she had to worry about how ugly she was becoming? Jeez.

She reached a paw out, and in a quiet, gentle voice, she murmured, "Things will be okay…someday…"

_Someday…_

"Someday soon?" the woman then scoffed, "Yeah…As if." she threw off her dress, black and blue soon replacing the colors of her old-fashioned clothing. Gun strapped to her hip and badge on her chest, she made her way for the front door, not knowing what the day would bring. All she knew was that it wouldn't be anything good…

"Rouge won't even want to talk to me after what I said to her…" events from the previous day were brought back into question, the route of Vanilla's grief and sudden hatred for her new job for the military. She hung her head low, and turned the knob…

!!!

It was either pure luck or fantastic timing, "What?!" Vanilla made a complete one-eighty. Noise didn't always gain her attention, but this one was so familiar. Almost like a cry. She heard it again, the sudden shock recoiling and sending her back. Her paws trembled with anxiety, "No…it…it couldn't be…" utilizing speed even Sonic would blink at, Vanilla charged back into the room where she hoped to find the source of the sound.

It was _exactly _what she wished for…

"Mmm…Mama?"

All her breaths soon became ragged and heavy. Her legs trembled, nearly buckling underneath her. Somehow, the woman grabbed enough strength out of what energy she had and immediately leapt for the side of the bed.

Two, chocolate-brown eyes soon met with her own, forming a joyous look in retrospect of the elder rabbit in front of them. It was enough to bring the poor woman to tears, "I…I had a bad dream…" her daughter's voice squeaked, for what seemed like the first time in years, decades even.

Without warning, Cream was soon pulled against her mother's breast, Vanilla's arms acting like prison bars to make sure she didn't get away, "C-Cream…" All the pain and guilt that had swelled up in her suddenly vanished as she felt the warmth of her daughter in her arms once again. It was a feeling she knew she had experienced before, but after so much time without it, it only made the sensation sweeter.

Cream looked up at her mother, looking worried, "Mama, what's wrong?" her hand reached up to the woman's eye, "Why are you crying?"

Vanilla only sniffled and squeezed her daughter tighter, "It's nothing dear…I'm just…sad you had a bad dream. What happened?" she asked, already knowing the full situation, but wanting to hear it from her daughter's lips.

The younger rabbit began to whimper again, "I dunno…you and I were out in the forest…I got lost, and, a-and there was this really scary monster…with big red eyes, and ginormous teeth…" she soon recoiled into a fit of quiet sobs she released onto her mother's stomach. The arms around her held her close, one paw slowly caressing the back of her head.

"Shh shh, it's okay baby…" Vanilla cooed, "It was all a dream…" the two spent much time in their embrace. Vanilla soon realized that she had to use this opportunity to tell Cream what she had longed to tell her since this tragic event began. She hugged Cream as tight as she could, uttering, "I love you Cream." with tears still falling down her cheeks.

The younger rabbit was taken back by this, surprised that her mother would just come out of the blue with this. True, Vanilla would say this occasionally at least once every day, but she never made it this big an event. Yet, Cream instantly felt the urge to say it back, feeling as if she had been trapped in that night mare for quite some time, separated from Vanilla. She returned the embrace.

"I love you too Mama…"

_End Act I_


	4. Bang 9, Automatic

**I really really hope I haven't lost all my fans from no updates in about 6 months. I'm very very sorry. I hit a major block when school started, and since I was inducted into a writing class, I've been working on other stories. But now I'm back, and I have the entire rest of the story planned out. Wish me luck in getting it all down on paper!…er, computer screen.**

**Act II, Scene I**

**Bang Nine, Automatic**

_The curtain has closed on our stage. Vanilla is immersed in pure bliss, the return of her daughter sending her recoiling into a fit of uncontrollable laughter and joy. Things would quite obviously change from this point, yet still remain the same. Personally, I wish I could've been there to take in the precious mother daughter moment, as I love tear-jerking events such as those. But all perfect things can not last, even a state of mind. Vanilla will soon have trouble on her hands. Once source after another will be spitting it's own venom into her eyes, until she breaks again. If Vanilla pulls through it, then I shall stand and applaud these actors who set the story before you and me. Let's continue shall we…?_

With a mighty heave, Cream was launched skyward again, giggling furiously as she felt the rush coming from the air surrounding her, pushing against her top, then her bottom as she fell back to earth, landing safely in her mother's arms, "Again Mama! Again!" she cried joyously, demanding to be thrown again. Vanilla did so, and threw her daughter up as high as she would go. It was no surprise the two were currently celebrating, regardless weather or not Cream knew what they were in celebration of. But alas, she enjoyed seeing her mother happy, and whatever had happened had seemed to kick her emotions into overdrive. Much like her daughter, the woman was laughing uproariously.

Soon, the energy in her arms faded, and Vanilla fell back into a bed of flowers surrounding the area. Cream came floating down next to her, letting her head rest on the flower petals and the blades of grass. Their sighs interrupted the chirping birds and near-silent wisps of cool air blowing by. The rabbit turned to her mother, "Mama, I know we're having fun, but why are you so happy?" she asked.

Vanilla sat back up, "I guess I'm just having one of those days where everything goes as planned. Nobody really gets those a lot." she mulled over her thoughts for a moment, before adding, "Plus, I'm hoping I can help you forget about that nasty dream you had." she smiled and took her daughter's hand, "I can't even recall the last time you had one."

While Vanilla was still feeling joy from the day's activities, Cream's smile faded at the mention of her 'dream', "Yes but…" the rabbit remained silent for quite some time, all her thoughts running into each other, "Something about it felt so…._real._"

She looked at her mother with worried eyes, "Like it actually happened."

These words stuck into Vanilla like an assassin's dagger. Her sights fell upon the scars on Cream's neck, _"I wish I could say it wasn't…" _she thought, turning away.

Not another word was said the rest of the time they were there…

Flick. Miss.

…Flick. Miss…

Flick…oh! It went through, "Ha ha! Four points! I win again!" My voice seemed to be a bit _too _excited over victory of a game of paper football with Topaz. Unfortunately, the day had been so uneventful, that it really _was _the highlight of my day, "You owe me a shiny new handgun woman!" I sneered, turning around in my seat with a cocky grin soon overcoming my expression. The woman across from me felt a sudden blow and smashed her head onto the table, groaning loud enough for everyone to hear. It was quite obvious that boredom had taken it's toll on her. I couldn't blame her though. Every soldier in the room was either asleep or on the verge of falling asleep. The commander's threats of punishment for being lazy on the job seemed to be wiped from memory. I'll bet even _he _was as bored.

"There hasn't been a call in days!" she roared, pointing out our current situation of slow business, "Can't someone just stab someone already? I'm bored out of my mind!"

A few laughs arose from the others, "Don't you think that the low crime rate is a good thing Topaz?" I asked, peering over the table again.

"Not when it means no paycheck for us!" she immediately snapped, her hair flipping up from the speed of bringing her head up. I could practically feel the woman getting more and more irritated, "For the past week, all we've done is sit here and play paper football!"

"We played tic-tac-toe yesterday."

She glared at me again, "No jokes Rouge!" it was a long time before she said anything else, this whole stretch of time leaving her thoughts empty and numb, "What I wouldn't give to be Vanilla right now. At home, spending time with your daughter, just wasting the day away. Lucky…" her head fell yet again.

The coffee pot on the counter suddenly looked intriguing, I stood and poured myself a cup, "You shouldn't joke about her Topaz." I said, offering another cup to her. Without warning, she grabbed it and wolfed it down like so many guys trapped in a desert, "Cream _just _woke up from a coma that lasted how long? Vanilla gets to talk to her for the first time since, and you're cracking jokes about her?"

Topaz didn't look phased, "Hey, I'm all for Vanilla catching up with her daughter, but if you ask me, family crisis should only last up to a few days tops. My tax dollars shouldn't be going to workman's comp."

I shot a stern glare at her to make sure my message got across, "She had a _mental breakdown _Topaz! It might be hard for you to realize since you have no children, or husband, or even any boyfriend to speak of, but pulling Vanilla back into work now would just make it hell for her, and everybody else!"

With that, she stood up and headed for her office, "Whatever, I'm gonna go play solitaire on my PC."

A thought then came to mind, _"You know it's the twenty-first century when someone leaves to go play solitaire on a computer when there's a deck of cards in their pocket. Hmhmhmhmhm…" _It was obvious to me Topaz needed to blow off some steam, and as much as I would love to push her buttons more and see her spit insults in a hilarious fashion, it wasn't the best time, "Might as well go back to checking files…"

Files hidden within files on everything from criminals to the specs of the military vehicles, each one coming off more mind-numbingly uninteresting than the last. The only things bound to have even the slightest glint of interesting information were the personal dossier's on a select handful of the officers around here. They make pretty good use for blackmail, but that's a rare sight around the G.U.N. offices, even for the Commander's actions.

Yet, one file _did _arouse my interest.

"Vanilla…". So much had happened to her in the past few weeks, her file had to have been nothing short of apocalyptic by now, "Hmm…I suppose I could do her a favor and fix all the info in her file."

Click.

**VANILLA (Last Name Unknown)**

**Age:20**

**Sex:F**

**Race:Domestic Lop-Eared Rabbit**

**Rank:Officer, Grade-S**

"Immediate Family?"

**Family:**

**Husband/Mint (Honorably Discharged)**

I sighed upon reading the first line. Mint was indeed a fine soldier…

**Daughter/Cream**

It was arguably too much work for a single person, but I eventually sorted Vanilla's file. Hopefully this will help repair the wounds sustained from our argument. I knew it wouldn't, but I was too hopeful to say that to myself.

I spin around in my chair, sighing contentedly and throwing my arms behind my head, "What a day, what a day. I almost wish Dusk would rush out and murder someone else just to have a case going." I giggle to myself at that, amazed I could think such terrible thoughts from mere boredom. But I am knocked out of my relaxed trance when a steady beeping arouses my attention. Pulling a 180 in the chair, I turn back to the computer, finding something I wish I hadn't.

Vanilla's file was being edited by the higher-ups, and not in a good way…

"**AS OF 10/12/XXXX, OFFICER VANILLA HAS BEEN ACCUSED OF TREASON."**

It takes me a minute to fully grasp what the blinking red letters actually meant, "Treason…" I gasp out loud, "No…no! How could they know?" There are often times I forget that as casually as we all act towards each other, G.U.N. is still a government building, and like any government building, it's security is nothing to joke about. Cameras can see every angle, every inch of this building, even the walkways out front. The microphones in them are so advanced, they could pick up the wings of a fly.

I knew in an instant that she was doomed…I grabbed my gear and rushed off.

"Rouge?" Topaz called with no answer, "Rouge?…"

The scent of roasted pumpkin seeds and cinnamon hung in the air, adding a delightful atmosphere to Vanilla's home. Cream found the aroma intoxicating, made obvious by the deep inhale she took every few seconds, "It smells delicious…" said Cream in a dreamy fashion as she sniffed the pot hanging over the fireplace. She peeked into the brew. A swirling mixture of brown and orange rested in the deep black pot, a few uncrushed seeds occasionally rising to the surface to greet her. Taking in one last inhale, she stepped back to let Vanilla get some into the teapot.

"Just adding that last touch to our perfect day…" Vanilla muttered in a sweet tone, one that she hasn't spoken with in weeks. It made her glad, almost ecstatic to use it again, happy that the first one to hear it in such a long time was her beloved daughter.

She set two cups on the table. Cream happily bounded over and hopped up into the seat, her mouth watering in anticipation, "Mmm…" she licked her lips as she became lost in the scent again.

"Careful dear, it's very very hot." her mother warned, blowing her own cup once before taking a sip, satisfied her skills haven't deteriorated since the last time she'd made it.

And to think this perfect family moment was about to be obliterated in an instant.

"VANILLA!" I screamed as I threw my fists upon her door so hard, that they nearly bled. Vanilla spared no hesitation in opening the door and questioning my sudden arrival. I shoved my way inside and pushed the door shut. The two rabbits were obviously taken back by my panic, I wouldn't blame them, "G.U.N. is coming for you!"

She raised her brow, "W…what do you mean Rouge?"

I gasp for breath, "G.U.N…heard us…outside the other day! The cameras picked up our entire conversation! They're labeling it as an act of treason!"

Cream barely understood a word, "Mama…what is she talking about? Since when do you two know each other?" I was ready to turn around and let spew forth everything I could recall about Vanilla joining G.U.N., before I remember how she might take it. I keep my mouth shut.

"Well, why are they coming here then?" Vanilla asked, leaving me dumbfounded with her sudden stupidity.

"Why do you _think?_" I roar, taking her roughly by the shoulders, "They're coming to _arrest you!"_

Cream nearly has a heart attack and drops her tea, "What? Mama, what did you do?" Vanilla begins to panic. With one twist, she's free from my grip and soon packing any suitcase she can find. Her daughter decides to ask again, "What's happening?"

Vanilla doesn't even turn to look at her, "No time to explain sweetie. Just grab whatever you can. Hurry!" as soon as the first case is filled with pictures, clothes, and other provisions, she immediately stands and turns to me, "Rouge, can I trust you to secure a vehicle?"

I almost forgot the fact that Vanilla lived so close, she could walk to G.U.N. in a matter of minutes, which didn't leave her with a car of her own. It also didn't leave us much time, "Y-yeah!" I blurt out, rushing back outside to start the military hummer I drove over here in.

The rabbit-woman turns back into her room, knowing that everything she ever loved could be taken away from her if she doesn't act fast, "_Why…why today? I just wanted one good day with my daughter…and G.U.N. can't even give me that…"_ she continues packing…

Cream shuffles around her room in a frenzy, grabbing a few books and toys and shoving them into her little orange knapsack. She then spies her beloved chao, Cheese, asleep on her dresser. She prods him with her finger to wake him, "Cheese! Cheese! Wake up! We have to go!"

The little blue creature slowly comes to, rubbing one eye and uttering a string of questioned and irritated, 'Chao-chao's?'. Cream grabs him and snuggles him to her chest as she runs for the door. Vanilla is already there, completely packed and ready.

"All set?" she asks Cream in a serious tone.

"Where are we going Mama?" Cream begs to know with tearful eyes, "Are we ever coming back?"

For the first time in her life, Vanilla couldn't reassure her daughter things will be alright, because even she herself didn't know, "I'm not sure Cream…" she pauses, but shakes her head and comes back to her senses quickly, "But we can't stay here." grabbing her daughter's hand, she makes a mad dash for the door and rushes outside, where our transport is waiting.

"C'mon!" I shout, "They'll be here any second!"

Vanilla opens the back door and helps Cream get strapped in before hopping into the front seat, "Go!"

Just as I am about to slam on the gas pedal, I hear the unmistakable sound of cracked glass behind me, and no time passes before I hear it in front of me. The bullet hole in the windshield has Cream terrified, "OFFICER VANILLA. YOU ARE ACCUSED OF TREASON AND ARE TO BE BROUGHT IN TO G.U.N. HEADQUARTERS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE FROM THE COMMANDER." a soldier shouts through a megaphone behind us.

I grit my teeth, "Hold on tight girls!" and press my boot down as hard as I can on the gas.

ZOOM!

We rocket onto the plains in seconds, G.U.N. vehicles taking their sweet time to catch up. Cream looks out the back window in terror, trying as hard as she can not to burst into tears, "Mama, what's happening? Why are the police trying to arrest you?"

The woman sighs sadly, now was as good a time as any to tell her, "Cream…you were-" she's cut off as another bullet whizzes past her head. Thankfully, it's non-lethal ammo, but it still wasn't good for our situation.

Acting in impulse, I veer a hard left, "You can explain later!" I scream above the deafening screech of the tires before hitting the acceleration again. Having another gun shot in our direction has broken down Cream's last defenses. Tears are streaming down her face in an instant, the fear that her mother's death might be looming near becoming too much to bear.

An idea then forms in my head, "I know where we can lose them!" I turn another right, and head straight for the desert…

Adrenaline is coursing through the Commander's veins by this point, though he doesn't dare show it to his troops, "Sir!" a soldier appears behind him, "Officer Vanilla is resisting arrest, and we have reason to believe that Officer Rouge is aiding her in her escape!" The Commander feels a sudden twinge of anger, but again, it is not known to the lesser workers, "What are your orders?"

He thinks long and hard, "…fall back."

"S-sir?" the soldier stutters.

"All we're doing on this high-speed chase is wasting gas. Rouge is an excellent driver, and we'll never catch her." he says, "Get on the radio and tell all vehicles to report back to HQ." he turns back to the monitors, his brow lowering, "We'll get her later…"

The soldier salutes, "Yes sir!" and scuffles off to carry out his commands.

A scoff rings out against the beeps of the computers, "Officer Vanilla…I like you. You're one of our best soldiers…but…"

There is a long silence, "…mutinous talk and conspiring with the officer who tricked us into believing a murderer committed suicide is punishable by court martial…I'm sorry Vanilla…but look on the bright side."

His lips curl into a twisted smile, "You'll be seeing Mint soon enough…"

By the time Vanilla gets Cream to stop crying, I notice we are no longer being followed, "Looks like we lost em'." I laugh with a victorious smile, slamming on the brakes. The air around us is dry and the dust carried with the wind doesn't help. The sand under our feet is difficult to walk in, but if Vanilla wishes to escape G.U.N., the desert is just the place to do it.

Vanilla, with Cream in her arms, takes a good, long look at the sun colored dust surrounding her on all sides, the brilliantly bright golden color being broken only by an occasional dark rock or cactus, "So what now Rouge? We just stand here and hope we blend in with the sand?"

I laugh sincerely at her sarcasm, "No no no. Come with me." I begin moving, motioning them to follow closely.

The two rabbits failed to see a small cottage resting near a dusty mound of rocks, painted a thick golden color to conceal it from far view, "Over there." I point to it as we get close, "It shouldn't be too bad a hiding spot. It looks just like your house." I say as we reach the front door. Quickly shoving the key in the lock and granting us entrance, I pull the two inside and shut the door.

Vanilla scans the hard wood interior. A moldy brown color, but with a texture that was soft to the touch, "It's alright. Personally, I'd put some carpet down, but who am I to judge?"

I smirk, "Well, if I could design my safe houses, I would honey."

She's taken back by this as she put Cream down on the large, olive-green sofa in the center of the room, "Safe house?"

"Of course!" I shot her a wink, "I may work for G.U.N., but I'm still the world's greatest thief."

We both let out a small giggle at that. I then decide to inform her about the place, "It's got all the comforts of home," I begin, pointing to the couch Cream had already fallen asleep on, then over to the recliner across the room, "Lovely furniture," then my finger points to the fireplace, "Fire to keep ya warm at night, similarly decorated bedrooms upstairs," I then point to the medium-sized television sitting opposite the couch, "I've even hooked it up to get free cable so you two don't get bored."

The woman looks touched, "Rouge…you did all this for us?" her cheeks go a little red.

I slap a hand on her back, "Ha ha! No! This place was rigged with all this before we even met. But I knew you'd need a place to hide, so I thought I'd give you this one." I say as I toss her the keys and a small phone, "If you need a ride anywhere, call me on this, and I'll be here in a flash. Oh, and there's a month's worth of food in the kitchen, but if you run out, let me know."

Vanilla nods, "Thank you Rouge."

Waving the two good-bye, I make my exit, "Okay, now to rush back home and establish an alibi…"

A few days pass…

**BANG!**

A single hole perfectly positioned in her target from fifty yards away.

Vanilla blows the smoke from her gun. Even though she was no longer bound to the military, her gun would most likely prove useful in the future, and even the top shooters need practice. She shoved the gun back into her holster and examined her work, "Hmm…perfect as always." she said with a sly grin.

Cream's discontented sigh catches her attention, "Something wrong baby?"

The little bunny turned to her mother with mournful eyes, "I don't like it here. It's nothing but sand…" she turned back to the window and stood on her toes to see little more than more sand, "No flowers, no trees, not even any grass…the desert stinks…" she whined.

The elder rabbit sighed, "I'm sorry Cream, but I've explained this. Until Rouge assures me it's safe, we have to stay here."

"I know…I'm just…worried…" Cream mumbles, "I wonder if Mr. Sonic and Tails know we're gone?"

Vanilla knelt and placed a caring hand on her daughter's shoulder, "I'm sure Rouge told them everything. Maybe Tails will come visit us in that fancy plane of his!"

Cream's eyes instantly shine with hope, "Really?" her mother nods and the girl runs off with glee. Vanilla stands and smiles at the situation.

"_And to think I almost lost you forever."_ her smile quickly fades upon the memory of when this tragic chain reaction started. The pressure is so heavy, she falls back onto the couch, _"All this could've been avoided if I had just kept an eye on her so she wouldn't go running off…and now we're being hunted down by the government…" _she turns onto her stomach and buries herself into her arms, "I'm a terrible mother…"

Her position doesn't change until an alarming noise arouses her senses. Near-instantly, she springs up, one hand on her gun incase the noise was a threat.

Silently, she crept into the kitchen, where the back door waited, _"Someone trying to break in? Would they honestly expect to find anything in the desert?" _she pulled her gun out completely, both hands steady and one finger on the trigger, like a snake ready to strike at a moment's notice. She gently turned the knob and slowly opened the door, gun pointed out before she stepped outside completely…

All she could hear was the wind blowing, grains of sand shifting loudly under her boots, _"Hmm…I don't hear anything…"_

By the next second, she hears a heavy thud, wasting no time turning, gun poised to fire.

Unfortunately, her gun wasn't the only one ready to fire, "Drop it." Vanilla stared down the barrel of an AK-47, in the arms of a purple weasel in a duster-hat. Silently cursing at herself for not being more careful, she drops the gun. It hits the sand with a silent thump.

"Mind if I ask who you are?" Vanilla subtly demanded rather than asked. A scoff was her first answer, before the weasel pointed his hat up to reveal his face, and that face was all too familiar, "Nack the Weasel!" Vanilla gasped, remembering the notorious bank robber she had brought in no more than two weeks ago. How he escaped was a question that rattled around in her brain, but she had no time to think about it.

"The one and only." Nack replied in a tone so gruff and rugged, Vanilla felt she was talking to more of an assassin rather than a thief, "I suppose you know why I'm here?"

Vanilla laughed, "In all honesty, I don't. Revenge just doesn't seem to fit right."

"You're right on the money." said Nack, "I'm here for revenge, _and_ fortune." The woman didn't quite understand that last bit, but he could tell from the way she edged back, "Oh, you didn't know? Knowing I'm a top-class shooter, G.U.N. has personally hired me to take you down."

"You're gonna kill me?" asked Vanilla, her tone losing none of it's professionalism, even though her heart was threatening to explode at any given moment.

Another scoff, "As much as I'd _love _to do so, I'm afraid I can't." he stepped closer, "G.U.N. is one step ahead of ya, you know. The desert is a pretty obvious place for a hiding spot." he pressed the gun up against her breast, "No no no, I'm not here to kill. G.U.N.'s paying me top-dollar to send you their way in chains, so why don't you just be a good little bunny and come with me?"

The arrogance in his voice nearly made Vanilla sick, "And if I say no?"

Nack flashed a toothy grin, "I'm well aware of your little girl, Miss Vanillie." he pointed the gun up and to the right, aimed directly at Cream, who had been watching from the windowsill, and was now too paralyzed with fear to move, "Like I said, I'm a top-class shooter. Even if she moves, I'll still find her place and send a bullet through her brain. You don't want that, do ya missie?"

Vanilla was appalled. Her body threatened to shut down in an instant from the shock of it all. She knew the weasel's skills were no laughing matter. During his capture, there was a lasting shootout, and Nack had managed to nip her arm before she even had a chance to blink. She still has the scar to prove it.

"Y…y-you wouldn't dare!" she roared in a mixture of panic and fury.

"Heh heh…try me…"

The rabbit was out of options. With a defeated sigh, she dropped to her knees, "Alright, you win…I'll go quietly."

With a horrid laugh, Nack slung the gun around his shoulder and moved around to her back side, whipping out a pair of handcuffs, "Ha ha ha! Atta girl. Don't worry, G.U.N.'ll send someone out for the little girl later."

Directly behind her, unable to detect a thing, _"Now!" _Vanilla thought, thrusting her paw into the sand and sending a handful directly into his eyes.

"Aaaaarrrrggghhhh!" Nack unleashed an agonizing scream and stumbled back as he tried to furiously rub the sand from his eyes, which gave Vanilla plenty of time go grab her gun and head for cover. Nack recovered quickly, "You bitch!" he roared, bringing his gun to his hands again, "I hope you're hungry for some lead!"

A volley of bullets came rocketing in Vanilla's direction. Knowing the wooden barrel she dove behind wouldn't block them all, she rolled to the side and got to her feet, taking aim.

Eight in the clip, one in the chamber…

Bang nine, automatic…

She felt a sense of satisfaction as she watched the color red explode from his shoulder with the bullet slicing through his fur and skin. He screamed again, "Aaaaaahhh!"

"Ha! Consider that payback!" she gloated, ducking behind another barrel.

The weasel growled, enraged, "That's it! You were warned!" Vanilla expected another volley of bullets, and they came…

…but not in her direction.

Vanilla heard the shatter of glass and a child's scream, "CREAM!" she screamed so loud, it hurt her throat.

Nack hobbled off, "I'll be back Vanilla!"

She unloaded an entire clip his way, but to no avail. Instantly forgetting him, she charged back into the house, her breaths ragged and microscopic in length by the time she reached the stairs. She threw open the door and prepared for the worst…

_End Act II, Scene I_


End file.
